


It was trapped between two lungs

by Enmuse (Scifiroots)



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Angst and Feels, Community: comment_fic, Emotional, Feels, Gen, Gunshot Wounds, Near Death Experience, Realization, desire to live
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 08:42:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/696421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scifiroots/pseuds/Enmuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt-based (oneshot) fic with ambiguous ending. It's time to end Red John. Prompt: "I don't want to die"</p><p>(Fairly angsty, but as stated – ambiguous end.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	It was trapped between two lungs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WildlingGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildlingGirl/gifts).



> Title from Florence + the Machine's "Between Two Lungs"
> 
> While no specific seasons/episodes are mentioned, this is based on my knowledge of Mentalist seasons one and two.

Lisbon is the one to find Jane. She runs up the steps at the back of the under construction office building and drops to one knee beside the badly injured blond. Her hand reaches out to feel his pulse while her eyes dart around the space to make sure the area's clear. She hears the agent who had come with her reporting their location and calling for an ambulance. When Lisbon's sure there is no sign of anyone else in the stairwell, she focuses more intently on Jane.

He stares up at her with bright, pain-filled eyes. His breaths are harsh and slightly gurgling, which scares her. Lisbon locates the source of all the blood staining Jane's fine three-piece suit, blood now soaking into her pant leg. She presses both palms firmly over the gunshot wound in his chest – small caliber, she's somehow able to note in her strange state of numb determination. Jane's hand flops listlessly next to her knee and it takes several moments for Lisbon to realize he's trying to grab her attention.

"Henley," Lisbon snaps at the other agent, getting the young man to take up position on Jane's other side. "Help me out here."

"Yes, Agent Lisbon," Henley acquiesces, expression tight and pale. "Ambulance ETA fifteen minutes."

 _Fuck._ Lisbon frees her hands as Henley takes her place in keeping pressure on the wound. "Jane, what happened? What can you tell me?" Lisbon grasps his hand. It feels like her heart is lodged in her throat when Jane's eyes start to water and a tear overflows to trail down his cheek.

"Don't... want to..." Jane gasps and Lisbon squeezes his hand as he blinks rapidly. "Trap, I knew it. 'M sorry..."

"Yeah, you're an idiot," Lisbon says gently, swallowing hard when she hears the tremor in her voice. "But you're our idiot. Keep with me here, okay?"

Jane coughs and blood lands on his lips. Lisbon tightens her grip and prays. "He's still here," Jane manages. "Red John... I know he's—"

Henley's and Lisbon's two-ways spark to life with Rigsby's sharp, "In pursuit! Cho, Grace, me, and Macintyre! Top flo— roof access!"

"Shit," Henley hisses looking up at Lisbon.

"Please," Jane gasps, managing to twitch his fingers against Lisbon's. "St-stop him. God, I thought—"

"Jane, we're going to get him. He screwed up. The— **our** team is getting him. Just you wait, we're going to get the call." _Where is the fucking ambulance?_

"I don't want to die," Jane tells her, whispers it like a confession. His eyes are wide and bright with tears; he looks surprisingly childlike with the open fear and vulnerability on his expression.

Lisbon has to swallow against the lump in her throat because she _knows_ that the words are in fact a confession. She knows Jane hasn't worried about his life when it comes to dealing with Red John. She knows he hasn't thought beyond what happens when Red John is finally dealt with.

"Don't want..." Jane repeats, gaze becoming unfocused.

Lisbon leans close and tells him, "I'm not going to watch you die! I owe you a lecture and I don't have room in my house to adopt your stupid couch." Her heart does a little leap when the blond's lips slide into a smile.

The moment breaks apart when Lisbon hears the sound of three sharp gunshots from somewhere above them. Her head jerks up and from the corner of her eye she sees Henley do the same. Jane lets out a noise that could have been a word or simply a whine. 

They wait for what seems like ages but there's no more gunfire. Lisbon's reaching for her two-way with one hand when Van Pelt's voice broadcasts, "Suspect down! Repeat, Red John is down. Headshot."

"Cho took a bullet to the shoulder," Rigsby adds a moment later.

Jane gasps sharply and sounds like he's choking. Lisbon's heart races and she directs Henley to help her move Jane just enough that he has a chance to clear his throat. A harsh cough expels some blood, but Jane's breathing sounds better in the aftermath.

 _Shit, shit, shit._ "Come on, Jane, a couple more minutes." Lisbon murmurs assurances as she reaches for her two-way and opens the channel. "Someone get down to direct the ambulance. Back stairway, second floor," she snaps. "We need help here ASAP."

Jane's eyelids droop and his chin starts to lower to his chest. Lisbon releases his hand to cup his cheek. "Hey, talk to me."

The blond clearly has trouble focusing, but Lisbon sees recognition in his eyes when their gazes finally connect. "Teresa..." he half-breathes. His eyebrows furrow as if he's trying hard to concentrate. "Cho, he's...?"

"Just the shoulder, Jane. He's going to be just fine. They got Red John. It's done, we got him."

Jane nods, just a small movement Lisbon more feels than actually sees. "Should've— 'm sorry... Not dead, want to—" his lips keep moving and Lisbon thinks maybe she recognizes Cho's name, but Jane's voice trails off into barely-heard mumbling. His eyes drop closed and she can't get him to open them again.

"Agent Lisbon, hear that?" Henley catches her attention.

Lisbon allows her attention to split from Jane for a moment and recognizes what she should have heard earlier – the ambulance's siren.

"Come on, Jane. It's here, we've got you. Not watching you die, remember? You're not going to do that." _You're not going to die when you've finally decided to live._

She isn't aware that she's been crying until Rigsby and the EMTs arrive and her colleague pulls her out of the way. Rigsby wraps her in a tight hug and fumbles to pull out a clean tissue tucked in his pocket. Lisbon accepts the comfort for a few moments, resting her head against the tall man's chest.

**Author's Note:**

> My personal take on the ambiguous end? Jane totally survives. And yes my headcanon OTP of Cho/Jane is implied very lightly – maybe it's just in my mind and never made it to type, though.
> 
> Macintyre and Henley are random agent names I assigned to OCs in my Roses are Red story.


End file.
